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Purpose: Six major hepatitis C virus genotypes have been characterised, which vary in their geographical distribution. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in an area is not constant, and depends on the changes in route of infection, which may change over time. In this study, the distribution of HCV genotypes in Mashhad, the capital of Razavi Khorasan province in north-east of Iran was investigated. Mashhad is a holy city of Shiate Moslems, which attracts more than 20 million tourists and pilgrims every year. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and seventy-eight HCV infected subjects (227 males and 51 females) were included in this study. HCV genotypes were analysed by type specifi c reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Genotype 3a was detected in 49.6%, 1a in 36.3%, 1b in 12.6% and 2a in 0.4%. Two HCV genotypes were detected in 1.1% cases; 1a +3a in 1%, 3a + 1b in 0.4%. Genotypes 2b and 3b were not detected in any samples. Conclusion: We demonstrated that despite the previous reports on the frequency of HCV genotypes in Iran, 3a is the predominant genotype in Mashhad.
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Background: Diabetes type 2, as one of the most important chronic diseases in the world, reduces quality of life in patients. Materials and Methods: Our research - as a descriptive analytical cross-sectional study - was performed on 120 type 2 diabetics in Tehran 503 hospital in 2008. Diverse domain scores of patients' quality of life were evaluated by SF-36 standard questionnaire. Gained data analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software through statistical tests including Pearson's correlation coefficient, Chi-square test, Independent T-test, Kolmogrov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal Wallis test, ANOVA, and Fisher exact test. Results: Age had significant reverse relationship with physical functioning, vitality, mental health, and mental component score. Education level was just directly correlated to bodily pain. Marital status was correlated with social functioning and general health domains. Family income level was directly related to mental health and mental component score domains. No relation was found between years of disease duration, smoking status, workout status, diet follow-up, lack/presence of hypertension, and diverse domains of these patients' quality of life. Hyperlipidemia had meaningful reverse relationship to physical functioning, bodily pain, social functioning, and physical component score domains. Heart diseases had meaningful reverse relationship to physical functioning and mental health domains. Patients' physical component score had direct relationship to mental component score. Conclusion: Observed scores were meaningfully low in comparison with both healthy people and similar surveys.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by sand flies. Many investigations are performed to find an effective and safe treatment for leishmaniasis. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of herbal extracts of Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) and Achillea millefolium (Yarrow), propolis hydroalcoholic extract and systemic glucantime against cutaneous leishmaniasis in Balb/c mice. METHODS: A total of 45 mice were randomised into five groups each including nine mice. They were treated with pure ethanol 70 degrees, systemic glucantime, Achillea millefolium hydroalcoholic extract, Thymus vulgaris hydroalcoholic extract and propolis hydroalcoholic extract for six weeks. The statistical tests including student t-test were used for analysis. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, ver 13.00. RESULTS: Mean of ulcer size reduction were -17.66, -22.57, 43.29, 36.09 and 43.77% for the alcohol, glucantime, yarrow, thyme and propolis groups, respectively. The results were suggestive that Thymus vulgaris, Achillea millefolium and propolis hydroalcoholic extracts were significantly more effective in reduction of ulcer size as compared with glucantime (p = 0.006, 0.002 and 0.008, respectively). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Our results are suggestive that Thymus vulgaris, Achillea millefolium and propolis extracts are effective for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice. Regarding these results, we suggest that efficacy of these extracts alone or in combination are evaluated against human cutaneous leishmaniasis as a randomized clinical trial.